F1B live at the LA Auto Show

The most intriguing cars at the 2009 LA Auto Show, sadly, were the ones not there.

No Ferrari.

No Lamborghini.

No Zonda, no Veyron.

The new Audi R8 V10. Admit it, you want one.

Aston Martin was there only because a local dealer rolled out its lineup for the show.

In other words, the down economy was evident everywhere, and not just by the lack of supercars.

Even the manufacturers in attendance were more subdued, more in keeping with the times. There was an obvious attempt at restraint.

Porsche only had one classic car displayed in its room.

There was a little glimpse into your driving future, however.

Ever heard of KERS? Judging by Audi — yes, Audi — KERS is coming, as is a radar-like sensor system that seemed to take a good chunk of the driving out of driving.

The Audi that drives itself, just about.

But we’ve all known driving is going to get less fun, right? Fuel efficiency, all-electric, even fuel cell cars are the stuff of the future. And an ever increased focus, obsession maybe, on safety is coming, too.

Fortunately, there are a few last gasps of driving purists, gear- or petrol-heads, working in the engineering departments.

Porsche is still producing relatively small, light cars cranking out 550-odd horses, and if you want it with a passenger’s seat, that’ll be extra. [The extras, also know as "these don't come standard?" features, are expensive. One 911 was priced to start at $95,000 but with the extras, such as ceramic brakes, sport suspension and a flappy-paddle shift, was $145,000. Yes, $50K in extras.]

The demon child of Porsche: A hybrid Cayenne.

Although, admittedly, a hybrid Cayenne was sitting on the floor. [We may not need to wait for 2012 for the world to end.]

Lotus is still doing Colin Chapman’s work, and if you have never sat in a Lotus — sit in a Lotus. It is less a car, even a basic Elise, than a … what’s the right word? A machine? Even the “GT” Evora is rough around the edges, and as a result probably sweet around a track.

On the opposite end of the motoring world, the show made Honda and Toyota’s decisions to exit Formula 1 clear. There was not a single — not one — car there that got your blood racing. These two manufacturers are completely engaged in efficient, safe, get-mom-and-the-kids-around-town vehicles.

Gone are the days of the Celica and exhaust-thumping CRX. Even the Acura area was full of bland-looking gray vehicles of no distinction, except for the ALMS car.

Here’s the future of Honda: the P-Nut. Seriously.

Toyota’s Lexus brands, however, is trying. Perched high on a rotating display was the new LFA. As seems to be the trend with Japanese supercars, it does not scream out “I can do 0-60 in under 4 seconds.” Like Nissan’s new GT-R.

Judging from the “mortals may sit in it” IS F, however, perhaps a pause is in order. The IS F, Lexus’ M3 competitor, didn’t seem to compete. The steering wheel felt about like a Scion’s.

One of the few cars that really got the blood rolling: Acura’s ALMS car.

The M3, by comparison, was spectacular. [And that is said grudgingly.] It felt like a sports car, but one that wouldn’t make you cry and weep on a drive from Los Angeles to San Francisco along the state’s deservingly famous Highway 1.

Other cars that drew crowds: Audi’s new R8 V10 [that's a nod to Negative Camber's passion]; the new Mercedes SLR [gull wings always draw the boys]; Spyker [way behind a small fence]; Porsche’s 911 [everyone wants to sit in one.]

Why aren’t there more cars like this at the show?

But the feel, even with those cars, was one of a depressed market. Almost all of the US makers, with perhaps the exception of Ford, were empty. No sign of passion in the products or the people. Even the carpet in the Buick show space was beige. [And no, not a sign of a Tiger poster.]

That might have changed later in the day; on exiting, the line to get in was perhaps 100 people deep.

But that’s 100 people out of a car culture of millions.

The lack of interest in the LA Auto Show this year might be the big story.

Just what its moral is will have to wait.

F1B’s SJ Skid is prepared to partner Nico Rosberg at Mercedes GP, and he stricks a pose to prove it.